Equine health encompasses the study and management of diseases, disorders, and overall well-being of horses. It involves understanding various physiological systems, preventive care, and treatment strategies to maintain optimal health in equine populations. Common areas of focus include nutrition, infectious diseases, orthopedic conditions, and reproductive health. Research in equine health aims to advance knowledge on diagnostic methods, therapeutic interventions, and management practices that improve horse welfare and performance. This page collects peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the diverse aspects of equine health, offering insights into current findings and advancements in the field.
Hitchens PL, Curry B, Blizzard CL, Palmer AJ.The profession of a horse-racing jockey is a dangerous one. We developed a decision tree model quantifying the effects of implementing different safety strategies on jockey fall and injury rates and their associated costs. Methods: Data on race-day falls were obtained from stewards' reports from August 2002 to July 2009. Insurance claim data were provided by Principal Racing Authorities and workers' compensation authorities in each jurisdiction. Fall and claim incidence data were used as baseline rates. The model considered (1) the status quo, in which policy was unchanged; and (2) compared it...
Stämpfli HR, Schoster A, Constable PD.Profiles from serum biochemical analyzers include the concentration of strong electrolytes (including l-lactate), total carbon dioxide (tCO2 ), and total protein. These variables are associated with changes in acid-base balance. Application of physicochemical principles may allow predicting acid-base balance from serum biochemistry without measuring whole blood pH and pCO2 . Objective: The purpose of the study was to determine if the acid-base status of critically ill horses could be accurately predicted using variables included in standard serum biochemical profiles. Methods: Two jugular veno...
Schork IG, Young RJ.The welfare of an individual depends on its capacity to overcome suboptimal conditions in its environment; otherwise, its physical and psychological health becomes compromised. A situation that clearly indicates lack of control of the environment is the expression of abnormal behaviours, such as stereotypies. This study aimed to verify the well-being of police horses using a new rapid form of welfare assessment: an archaeological approach. To this end, we sampled and quantified marks found on the stables, deposited as a result of abnormal behaviour. We cross-referenced these physical marks wit...
Rakhshandehroo E, Sharifiyazdi H, Shayegh H, Ahmadi A.Habronema muscae is a spirurid nematode that undergoes developmental stages in the stomach of equids, causing chronic catarrhal gastritis. Despite preceding investigations have developed polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based assays for molecular diagnosis, we aimed to assess the applicability of cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) sequences to identify the H. muscae infection and to assess the level of intraspecific variations in this parasite obtained from affected horses in Southern Iran. According to the morphological characterizations, two different isolates of H. muscae were identified....
Burk SV, Dangoudoubiyam S, Brewster-Barnes T, Bryant UK, Howe DK, Carter CN, Vanzant ES, Harmon RJ, Kazacos KR, Rossano MG.Currently, diagnosis of Parascaris equorum infection in equids is limited to patent infections. The goals of this study were to culture P. equorum larvae in vitro and identify excretory-secretory (ES) products for prepatent diagnostic testing. Parascaris equorum L2/L3 larvae were hatched and cultured for up to 3 weeks for ES product collection. Fifth stage (L5) P. equorum were also cultured for ES product collection. Examination of ES fractions by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and silver stain revealed L2/L3 products ranging from 12-94 kDa and L5 products...
Di Sabatino D, Bruno R, Sauro F, Danzetta ML, Cito F, Iannetti S, Narcisi V, De Massis F, Calistri P.West Nile virus (WNV) transmission has been confirmed in the last four years in Europe and in the Mediterranean Basin. An increasing concern towards West Nile disease (WND) has been observed due to the high number of human and animal cases reported in these areas confirming the importance of this zoonosis. A new epidemiological scenario is currently emerging: although new introductions of the virus from abroad are always possible, confirming the epidemiological role played by migratory birds, the infection endemisation in some European territories today is a reality supported by the constant r...
Giguère S, Sanchez LC, Shih A.To (1) assess the agreement between calculated values for arterial hemoglobin saturation of oxygen (SaO2 ) and values obtained by co-oximetry, (2) assess the accuracy of 2 pulse oximetry monitors for measurement of SaO2 in foals, and for each monitor, and (3) determine the optimal combination of sensor type and site of sensor placement for SaO2 monitoring. Methods: Prospective experimental study. Methods: University teaching hospital. Methods: Six neonatal foals. Methods: Foals were anesthetized with isoflurane and SaO2 was manipulated by varying the inspired fraction of oxygen. SaO2 was calcu...
Carmalt JL, Borg H, Näslund H, Waldner C.Proximal palmar/plantar osteochondral fragmentation of the first phalanx is a frequent radiographic finding in Standardbred horses. These lesions are routinely removed prior to the onset of a racing career with no evidence to support the timing of this surgical intervention. Objective: To determine whether horses racing before surgery slowed as they approached surgery date and whether they speeded up after surgery. To investigate the factors affecting whether a horse raced after surgery and compare the performance of horses that did and did not race before surgery. Methods: A retrospective stu...
de Laat MA, Clement CK, Sillence MN, McGowan CM, Pollitt CC, Lacombe VA.An increased incidence of metabolic disease in horses has led to heightened recognition of the pathological consequences of insulin resistance. Laminitis, failure of the weightbearing digital lamellae, is an important consequence. Altered trafficking of specialised glucose transporters (GLUTs), responsible for glucose uptake, is central to the dysregulation of glucose metabolism and may play a role in the pathophysiology of laminitis. Objective: We hypothesised that prolonged hyperinsulinaemia alters the regulation of glucose transport in insulin-sensitive tissue and digital lamellae. Our obje...
Gómez MD, Menéndez-Buxadera A, Valera M, Molina A.The performance results of Spanish Trotter Horses were merged with the information from the nearest official weather stations, to estimate the effects of temperature (T) on speed during the day of the race. The resulting data set included: 104 125 individual results from 7653 races with 3772 participant horses and driven by 1402 jockeys. After a classical repeatability animal model in which the effects of T were assumed null, a total of five different random regression models (RRM) with the same fixed part were applied in a parsimonious nested process in which the (co)variance components for ...
Dixon PM, Froydenlund T, Luiti T, Kane-Smyth J, Horbal A, Reardon RJ.Empyema of the nasal conchal bullae has recently been identified in horses suffering from chronic unilateral nasal discharge. The diagnosis and management of such cases has not been reported previously. Objective: To describe the diagnosis and treatment of cases suffering from empyema of the nasal conchal bullae and report the frequency of diagnosis from a population of horses referred for head computed tomography (CT). Methods: Retrospective case review. Methods: Records from cases diagnosed with nasal conchal bulla disease using CT were reviewed. Results: Abnormalities of the nasal conchal b...
Burns TA, Watts MR, Weber PS, McCutcheon LJ, Geor RJ, Belknap JK.Acute, massive enteral carbohydrate overload is associated with laminar inflammation in equids; it is unclear if the same is true for a more prolonged period of moderate dietary carbohydrate intake. Objective: To characterise laminar inflammation in ponies exposed to a dietary carbohydrate challenge meant to mimic acute pasture exposure. Methods: In vivo experiment. Methods: Mixed-breed ponies (n = 22) received a diet of hay chop (nonstructural carbohydrate [NSC] ∼7% on a dry matter [DM] basis) for 4 weeks prior to initiation of the experimental feeding protocol. Following dietary acclimatio...
Lopez MJ, Jarazo J.According to Greek mythology, Prometheus' liver grew back nightly after it was removed each day by an eagle as punishment for giving mankind fire. Hence, contrary to popular belief, the concept of tissue and organ regeneration is not new. In the early 20th century, cell culture and ex vivo organ preservation studies by Alexis Carrel, some with famed aviator Charles Lindbergh, established a foundation for much of modern regenerative medicine. While early beliefs and discoveries foreshadowed significant accomplishments in regenerative medicine, advances in knowledge within numerous scientific di...
Jenner F, van Osch GJ, Weninger W, Geyer S, Stout T, van Weeren R, Brama P.Articular cartilage regeneration is the focus and goal of considerable research effort. Since articular chondrocytes descend from a distinct cohort of progenitor cells located in embryonic nascent joints (interzones), establishing the timing of equine interzone formation is an essential first step towards understanding equine joint and articular cartilage development. Objective: To establish the time frame during which the equine femorotibial interzone forms. Methods: Descriptive anatomical study. Methods: Equine embryos were harvested at 37 (E37), 40, 42, 45, 50 and 65 days' gestation. The fe...
Bohn AA, Ferris RA, McCue PM.There have been no studies evaluating and comparing the quality of equine endometrial cytology samples obtained via the 3 most common sampling techniques from healthy mares. Objective: The objective was to compare the quality and contents of equine endometrial samples obtained by 3 different sampling techniques: double-guarded uterine swab, double-guarded uterine brush, and low-volume lavage (LVL), all collected from clinically healthy mares. Methods: Samples were collected from 24 healthy mares in early estrus. In 19 mares, samples were obtained in a sequential manner, first with the swab, th...
Barnett TP, Hawkes CS, Dixon PM.To report a resection and anastomosis technique to treat trauma-induced tracheal stenosis. Methods: Case report. Methods: A 9-year-old Warmblood gelding. Methods: Endoscopy, radiography, and ultrasonography were used to diagnose a single ring tracheal stenosis; the stenotic region was resected and adjacent tracheal rings anastomosed with an end-to-end technique. Results: The anastomosis healed completely despite formation of a unilateral partial mucosal stenosis "web," which was subsequently removed by transendoscopic laser surgery. During tracheal anastomosis, the left recurrent laryngeal ner...
Tanaka T, Kasai H, Yamashita A, Okuyama-Dobashi K, Yasumoto J, Maekawa S, Enomoto N, Okamoto T, Matsuura Y, Morimatsu M, Manabe N, Ochiai K....Equine hepacivirus (EHcV) has been identified as a closely related homologue of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany, but not in Asian countries. In this study, we genetically and serologically screened 31 serum samples obtained from Japanese-born domestic horses for EHcV infection and subsequently identified 11 PCR-positive and 7 seropositive serum samples. We determined the full sequence of the EHcV genome, including the 3' untranslated region (UTR), which had previously not been completely revealed. The polyprotein of a Japanese EHcV strain showed ap...
Boivin R, Vargas A, Lefebvre-Lavoie J, Lauzon AM, Lavoie JP.Overexpression of the (+)insert smooth muscle myosin heavy chain (SMMHC) isoform could contribute to airway bronchospasm by increasing the velocity of contraction. Whether the (+)insert isoform is present in the small airways and its expression is reversible in asthma are unknown. Objective: To determine the anatomical location and the expression kinetics of the (+)insert SMMHC isoform in airways of horses with heaves and to evaluate its modulation in response to disease status. Methods: We evaluated the (+)insert SMMHC isoform in the airways of horses with heaves during disease exacerbation a...
Collins GH, Petersen SL, Carr CA, Pielstick L.Effective and safe monitoring techniques are needed by U.S. land managers to understand free-roaming horse behavior and habitat use and to aid in making informed management decisions. Global positioning system (GPS) and very high frequency (VHF) radio collars can be used to provide high spatial and temporal resolution information for detecting free-roaming horse movement. GPS and VHF collars are a common tool used in wildlife management, but have rarely been used for free-roaming horse research and monitoring in the United States. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the design, safety, a...
Ząbek T, Semik E, Wnuk M, Fornal A, Gurgul A, Bugno-Poniewierska M.DNA methylation patterns and their relation with genetic polymorphisms were determined in the equine OAS1 locus. Genetic variants of OAS1 were previously found to be associated with susceptibility to West Nile virus infections in horses. The subject of the study were white blood cells of 13 juvenile and 13 old horses from AA and HC breed and a set of solid tissues from a single adult horse. The aim was to determine the degree of variation of CpG methylation profiles with concern for tissue type, horse breed and age. Results of direct BSPCR and cloned BSPCR sequencing revealed that all of deter...
Sengupta PP, Rudramurthy GR, Ligi M, Roy M, Balamurugan V, Krishnamoorthy P, Nagalingam M, Singh L, Rahman H.Trypanosoma evansi, a haemoflagellate, causes "surra" an important chronic wasting disease of a wide range of wild and domestic herbivorous and carnivorous animals including cattle, buffaloes, camels, horses, etc. The untreated recovered animal can act as a carrier without exhibiting the disease symptoms and can be a source of infection to healthy animals. The diagnosis and subsequent treatment of the carrier animals is helpful to curb the disease. As the parasitaemia in carrier animals is very scanty, the conventional blood smear examination, which is widely practiced in the field, cannot det...
Mählmann K, Hamza E, Marti E, Dolf G, Klukowska J, Gerber V, Koch C.Recent studies suggest that regulatory T cells (Tregs) are associated with disease severity and progression in papilloma virus induced neoplasia. Bovine papilloma virus (BPV) is recognised as the most important aetiological factor in equine sarcoid (ES) disease. The aim of this study was to compare expression levels of Treg markers and associated cytokines in tissue samples of ES-affected equids with skin samples of healthy control horses. Eleven ES-affected, and 12 healthy horses were included in the study. Expression levels of forkhead box protein 3 (FOXP3), interleukin 10 (IL10), interleuki...
Armstrong SK, Woodgate RG, Gough S, Heller J, Sangster NC, Hughes KJ.This study was performed to estimate the prevalence of patent Parascaris equorum infections and determine the efficacy of ivermectin, pyrantel and fenbendazole against P. equorum infection in foals on farms in southern Australia. Foals aged >3 months on five farms in the south-western slopes region of New South Wales were used. Faeces were collected from each foal and foals with a P. equorum faecal egg count (FEC) of >100 eggs per gram (EPG) were used to measure anthelmintic efficacy using the FEC reduction (FECR) test, after random allocation to a control group or an ivermectin, pyrante...
Trope GD, Ghasem-Zadeh A, Anderson GA, Mackie EJ, Whitton RC.High-resolution 3D imaging may improve the prediction and/or early identification of condylar fractures of the distal metacarpus/tarsus and reduce the frequency of breakdown injury in racehorses. Objective: To test the hypotheses that horses suffering condylar fractures have higher bone volume fraction (BV/TV) of the distal metacarpal epiphysis, greater subchondral bone thickness at the fracture site and higher second moment of inertia in the metacarpal midshaft as identified with high-resolution 3D imaging. Methods: Cross-sectional study using cadaver material. Methods: Thoroughbreds that die...
Hackett ES, Lunn DP, Ferris RA, Horohov DW, Lappin MR, McCue PM.Neonatal sepsis is a common problem in foals and is a primary cause of death in the post natal period. Transient bacteraemia and subsequent host responses have not been described in the equine neonate. Objective: The primary objective of this study was to determine if transient bacteraemia occurs in foals within the first 72 h of life. Additional objectives included description of bacterial organisms associated with transient bacteraemia and concurrent cytokine gene expression in healthy foals. Methods: Prospective observational study in healthy foals. Methods: Blood was aseptically collecte...
Duesterdieck-Zellmer KF, Moneta L, Ott JF, Larson MK, Gorman EM, Hunter B, Löhr CV, Payton ME, Morré JT, Maier CS.To determine effects of intraarticularly administered tiludronate on articular cartilage in vivo, eight healthy horses were injected once with tiludronate (low dose tiludronate [LDT] 0.017 mg, n = 4; high dose tiludronate [HDT] 50 mg, n = 4) into one middle carpal joint and with saline into the contralateral joint. Arthrocentesis of both middle carpal joints was performed pre-treatment, and 10 min, 24 h, 48 h, 7 and 14 days after treatment. Synovial nucleated cell counts and total solids, tiludronate, sulfated glycosaminoglycan (sGAG), chondroitin sulfate 846 epitope (CS-846, a measure of aggr...
Wilson AD.Horses are affected by a wide variety of arthropod ectoparasites, ranging from lice which spend their entire life on the host, through ticks which feed over a period of days, to numerous biting insects that only transiently visit the host to feed. The presence of ectoparasites elicits a number of host responses including innate inflammatory responses, adaptive immune reactions and altered behaviour; all of which can reduce the severity of the parasite burden. All of these different responses are linked through immune mechanisms mediated by mast cells and IgE antibodies which have an important ...
Ishizuka T, Tamura J, Nagaro T, Sudo K, Itami T, Umar MA, Miyoshi K, Sano T, Yamashita K.Effects of intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV) on cardiopulmonary function were evaluated in horses anesthetized with total intravenous anesthesia using constant rate infusions of medetomidine (3.5 µg/kg/hr), lidocaine (3 mg/kg/hr), butorphanol (24 µg/kg/hr) and propofol (0.1 mg/kg/min) (MLBP-TIVA). Five horses were anesthetized twice using MLBP-TIVA with or without IPPV at 4-week interval (crossover study). In each occasion, the horses breathed 100% oxygen with spontaneous ventilation (SB-group, n=5) or with IPPV (CV-group, n=5), and changes in cardiopulmonary parameters were ...
The objective of this study was to enhance the in vitro sperm quality and in vivo fertility of frozen-thawed equine semen by the addition of l-carnitine (LC) to post-thawed semen. Different concentrations of LC were added to thawed samples to obtain four treatments control and 0.5, 1 and 2 mM LC. In the in vitro experiments, sperm motility and kinematics, membrane integrity and intracellular calcium ion concentration ([Ca ] ) were investigated, and the antioxidant bioactivity of LC was assessed by measuring hydrogen peroxide and nitrite concentrations (NO ). The fertility rate was assessed v...
Noschka E, Vandenplas ML, Hurley DJ, Moore JN.The results of recent studies indicate that inflammatory responses occurring in the early stages of equine laminitis lead to downstream events that eventually result in failure of the bond between the hoof wall and the distal phalanx. In order to gain further insights into the molecular mechanisms involved in the development of laminitis, an equine-specific cDNA microarray consisting of transcripts for more that 3000 genes was used to assess temporal changes in gene expression in laminar tissues at 1.5, 3 and 12 h after administration of either a laminitis-inducing agent (black walnut heartwoo...
van Duijkeren E, van Klingeren B, Vulto AG, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM, Breukink HJ, van Miert AS.The in vitro activity of 17 antimicrobial drugs against strains of Salmonella typhimurium (n = 52), Salmonella thompson (n = 2), Salmonella heidelberg (n = 3), Salmonella hadar (n = 2), Salmonella enteritidis (n = 1), Salmonella infantis (n = 1) and Salmonella derby (n = 1) was tested using the agar dilution method. The strains were isolated from horses admitted to the Large Animal Clinics of Utrecht University. The majority of strains were susceptible to gentamicin, amikacin, kanamycin, enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, flumequine, colistine, furazolidone and ceftiofur. However, all strains of Sal...
Hallowell GD.Cases with a history of colic due to a large colonic impaction were recruited retrospectively to assess the treatment efficacy and complications of oral and parenteral fluid therapy regimes for correction of primary large colon impactions. Oral isotonic fluids had been administered at varying intervals following initial treatment with magnesium sulphate and water. There was no significant difference in complication rates between groups. Considering complication rates with impaction clearance, hourly administration of oral fluids appears to be the most appropriate treatment regime of those inve...
Walliser U, Fenner A, Mohren N, Keefe T, deVries F, Rundfeldt C.The benefit of pre and post-operative administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for the relief of post-operative pain and control of inflammation in horses following orthopaedic surgery has not been previously investigated in controlled clinical field trials, and the utility of such treatment is a matter of ongoing dispute. Recently the utility of post-operative pain management was emphasized. It was therefore our aim to determine the efficacy of meloxicam in horses following partial resection of fractured splint bones. This condition was selected since the limited extent of the ...
Lee SK, Park D, Lee I.Equine parvovirus-hepatitis (EqPV-H) causes equine hepatitis. The prevalence of EqPV-H in healthy horses has been reported in the United States, China, Germany, and Austria. The present study determined the prevalence of EqPV-H in the sera of clinically healthy horses in South Korea to identify the potential factors for infection and examine the genetic diversity of EqPV-H DNA sequences through comparison with foreign strains. Serum samples collected from 321 horses were tested for EqPV-H using non-structural protein 1 (NS1)-specific polymerase chain reaction. The associations of EqPV-H infect...
Weiss DJ, Evanson OA.To evaluate lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced activation of equine neutrophils in blood. Methods: Blood samples from 5 healthy adult Thoroughbreds. Methods: Neutrophil integrin (CD11/CD18) expression, size variation, degranulation, and deformability were measured with and without incubation with LPS. Time and concentration studies were done. The mechanism of endotoxin-induced neutrophil activation was investigated by inactivating complement or preincubating neutrophils with inhibitors of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) synthesis, prostaglandin-leukotriene synthesis, or platelet-activati...
Oertly M, Gerber V, Anhold H, Chan DS, Pusterla N.Transportation of sporthorses increases their susceptibility to infectious diseases. Before, caretakers relied on rectal temperature together with their clinical impression to detect travel-associated infections. This study's aim was to assess and compare serum amyloid A (SAA) to rectal temperature as an indicator of early inflammation in sporthorses after air transportation. One hundred and twenty-two Warmblood horses were followed during the Longines Global Champions Tour 2016 to three destinations where the horses flew to compete. Clinical health checks and SAA measurements were performed b...
Asadollahpour Nanaei H, Ayatollahi Mehrgardi A, Esmailizadeh A.Equine athletes have a genetic heritage that has been evolved for millions of years, which provides an opportunity to study the genetics of locomotion pattern and performance in mammals. The Hanoverian, a breed originating in Germany, is arguably among the most athletic of horse breeds, as well as possessing a balanced character and beautiful appearance. Here, we compared the whole genomes of Hanoverian with three other horse breeds (Akhal-Teke, Franches-Montagnes, and Standardbred), using the fixation index (Fst) and cross-population composite likelihood ratio (XP-CLR) methods for testing the...
Anastasiou A, Skioldebrand E, Ekman S, Hall LD.The distal row of carpal bones (C2, C3, and C4) from eight left intercarpal joints--four from Standardbred Trotters and four from Swedish Warmblood horses--were used to assess the potential of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging to detect cartilage and bone lesions. The joints used in the study were classified by macroscopic and radiographic examinations as having normal, mild, moderate, or severe articular cartilage lesions and bone sclerosis. Those classifications correlated well with the appearance of the MR images. Bone sclerosis in the MR images was observed as regions of decreased signal int...
Drudge JH, Lyons ET, Tolliver SC, Lowry SR, Fallon EH.Observations were completed over an 18-year period (1966 through 1983) in Thoroughbred mares (15/year) and yearlings (11 to 24/year) on a farm where benzimidazole-resistant small strongyles had emerged previously (1962 to 1965). This farm was operated as a closed, nonboarding type, which included a racing stable for its home-bred foals. At 2-week intervals, counts of worm eggs per gram of feces (EPG) and larvae per gram of feces were done to monitor strongyle infections and efficacies of bimonthly (every 8 weeks) antiparasitic treatments that were administered by stomach tube or were fed (dich...
Lagares MA, Castanheira PN, Amaral DC, Vasconcelos AB, Veado JC, Arantes RM, Stahlberg R.The aim of the present study was to evaluate the in vitro viability of equine embryos vitrified in three different solutions. Day 6 and 6.5 embryos were measured and morphologically evaluated. Only grade 1 or 2 morulae and early blastocysts were vitrified. Eighteen embryos were distributed in Group 1: 40 percent ethylene glycol in PBS, Group: 2 and 3: 40 percent ethylene glycol, 18 percent Ficoll, 0.3M sucrose or 0.3M trehalose in PBS, respectively. The vitrified embryos were loaded individually into 0.25 ml straws, which were cooled and immersed in liquid nitrogen. After warming at 20 degree ...
Gilkerson J, Jorm LR, Love DN, Lawrence GL, Whalley JM.Equid herpesvirus-4 (EHV-4) was detected in nasal swabs taken from foals using a PCR based test and this information used to study the epidemiology of EHV-4 disease on three Australian Thoroughbred stud farms in NSW in 1992. There was a very high level of agreement (kappa value of 0.84) between the PCR results and virus isolation using cell culture techniques. There was a strong seasonal distribution of EHV-4 shedding. Twenty-five of 26 positive samples were collected in January and March with the remaining positive sample collected in February. Foals with clinical signs of upper respiratory t...
Deleuze S, Goudet G, Caillaud M, Lahuec C, Duchamp G.In vivo techniques, such as intraoviductal oocyte transfer (OT) and intrafollicular oocyte transfer (IFOT), can be considered as alternatives to bypass the lack of efficient superovulation treatments and the inadequacy of conventional in vitro fertilization techniques in the horse. We compared embryo production after transfer of in vivo recovered oocytes (1) into a recipient's oviduct or (2) into her preovulatory follicle either immediately after ovum pick-up or (3) after in vitro maturation (IVM). Recipients were inseminated with fresh semen of a stallion with a known normal fertility. Ten da...
Bollwein A, Hänichen T.The cervical vertebral column of 103 horses of different age (42 weeks old fetus to 23 years) were examined with respect to age-related changes of the intervertebral disks. On gross examination the cervical intervertebral disks in the horse miss a pulpy nucleus but consist of a fibrocartilaginous tissue only, which is in contrast to literature. Age-related degenerative lesions as disintegration of connective tissue fibers leading to partial or complete loss of connection between the disks were found. In the more severe cases a yellow discoloration of the separated disks could be seen. Incidenc...
Nogueira BG, Sampaio BF, Souza MI, Costa E Silva EV, Zúccari CE.Biotechnology applied for equine semen increases the levels of reactive oxygen species and reduces the natural antioxidant defence, by both dilution and removal of seminal plasma. Therefore, the aims of this study were to evaluate the effect of adding coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and α-tocopherol (α-TOH) to the cooling extender, singly or in combination, on sperm parameters, and their effectiveness in preventing lipid peroxidation (LPO) of equine semen during cooling at 5°C for 72 h. Ten adult stallions of proven fertility were used, using two ejaculates each, subjecting them to the treatments with...
Arai K, Tagami M, Hatazoe T, Nishimatsu E, Shimizu Y, Fujiki M, Misumi K.We investigated the relationship between cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) levels in synovial fluid (SF), serum and urine and the development of osteochondral damage and osteophyte (OP) formation following intraarticular fractures of the carpus in racehorses in order to assess the clinical usefulness of COMP as a diagnostic biomarker of developmental osteoarthritis (OA). Two monoclonal antibodies (mAb clones 2A11 and 3C8) raised against equine COMP were shown to be capable of detecting the molecule in serum and urine as well as SF. Fifty-one samples were obtained from 26 OP-positive (...
Chaffin MK, Matthews NS, Cohen ND, Carter GK.A commercially available pulse oximeter was evaluated in anaesthetised foals to determine its accuracy for estimating arterial haemoglobin saturation (SaO2). Five different transducer/transducer attachment site (TTAS) combinations were evaluated; 1-3) a fingertip transmission transducer attached to the foal's ear, lip and tongue, 4) an adhesive transmission transducer positioned on the foal's ear and 5) a forehead reflectance transducer placed on the ventral aspect of the foal's tail-base. Eight normal, Quarter Horse foals (age 5-10 days) were studied while under general anaesthesia. Alteratio...
Seo MG, Ouh IO, Choi E, Kwon OD, Kwak D.The identification and characterization of pathogenic and zoonotic tick-borne diseases like granulocytic anaplasmosis are essential for developing effective control programs. The differential diagnosis of pathogenic Anaplasma phagocytophilum and non-pathogenic A. phagocytophilum-like Anaplasma spp. is important for implementing effective treatment from control programs. The objective of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of Anaplasma spp. in horses in Korea by nucleotide sequencing and restriction enzyme fragment length polymorphism assay. Of the 627 horses included in the stu...
Muñoz E, Argüelles D, Areste L, Miguel LS, Prades M.The medical records of 468 horses that underwent 490 exploratory laparotomies for the correction of gastrointestinal diseases were reviewed to search for differences between Andalusian horses and other breeds. The seasonal distribution of surgical colics and their outcome and complications were also investigated. Bivariant analysis was used to compare the horses' age, gender and breed with the type of surgery, the bowel affected and the type of colic, and all these variables were compared in relation to euthanasia during surgery, complications, short-term survival and seasonal distribution. A ...
Vukojević V, Bowen AM, Wilhelm K, Ming Y, Ce Z, Schleucher J, Hore PJ, Terenius L, Morozova-Roche LA.Recent evidence supports the idea that early aggregates, protein, and lipoprotein oligomers but not large aggregates like fibrils that are formed at late stages of the aggregation process are responsible for cytotoxicity. Oligomers can interact with the cellular plasma membrane affecting its structure and/or dynamics or may be taken up by the cells. In either case, disparate cascades of molecular interactions are activated in the attempt to counteract the disturbance induced by the oligomers. If unsuccessful, cell death follows. Here, we study the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying P...
Bertone AL, Turner AS, Park RD.Correction was attempted in 27 foals (41 limbs) with angular deformities at the carpal region (35 limbs), metatarsophalangeal region (5 limbs) and distal end of the tibia (1 limb) by hemicircumferential transection of the periosteum (HCTP) and periosteal stripping (PS). Successful outcome was determined by straight limbs and soundness, which was achieved in 81.5% of the cases, with 60% of the horses in performance training. Follow-up evaluation for all foals was completed at various times after physiologic closure of the physes. In none of the limbs was the deformity overcorrected. Owners of f...
Vanschandevijl K, Gielen I, Nollet H, Vlaminck L, Deprez P, van Bree H.An 8-year-old warmblood mare was evaluated following an acute onset of neurologic abnormalities. Results: Computed tomography of the head revealed large masses in both lateral ventricles, and a presumptive diagnosis of cholesterinic granuloma was made. Results: Freehand biopsy of the intracranial masses was performed under computed tomographic guidance, and histologic examination of biopsy specimens confirmed the diagnosis. No adverse effects associated with the brain biopsy procedure were encountered. Clinical signs resolved, and long-term follow-up did not reveal any recurrence of neurologic...
Dyson S, Pollard D.The Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram (RHpE) was developed to facilitate the recognition of musculoskeletal pain. The aim of this study was to document changes in RHpE scores before and after diagnostic anaesthesia was performed to alleviate pain ± when the saddle was changed. One hundred and fifty horses underwent ridden exercise as part of an investigation of poor performance. The RHpE was applied before and after the interventions. Fifty-two (34.7%) horses exhibited a bilaterally symmetrical short step length and/or restricted hindlimb impulsion and engagement. Fifty-three (35.3%) horses had epis...
Bird JL, Wells T, Platt D, Bayliss MT.Proteoglycan degradation was induced in young equine articular cartilage explants cultured for eight days in the presence of 50 ng/ml recombinant human interleukin-1 beta. Degradation was initiated after 6 hours of exposure to the cytokine. This was accompanied by an induction of nitric oxide synthesis and a decrease in the incorporation of [36S]sulphate into the glycosaminoglycan chains of proteoglycans. The addition of 1mM N-iminoethyl-L-ornithine (an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase) to the explant cultures in the presence of rhIL-1 beta suppressed the synthesis of NO and restored proteog...
McMullan WC, Joyce JR, Hanselka DV, Heitmann JM.Amphotericin B was used systemically or locally, or both, in the treatment of localized subcutaneous phycomycosis in horses. In 8 of 10 cases, the results were satisfactory. Intravenous treatment was well tolerated at an average starting daily dosage of 0.38 mg/kg, increasing up to as high as 1.47 mg/kg. It was concluded that the ideal treatment regimen would include early surgical removal of the lesion followed by daily intravenous and topical administration of amphotericin B, with periodic extirpation of small necrotic tracts as necessary.
Grimsrud KN, Mama KR, Thomasy SM, Stanley SD.Detomidine is commonly used i.v. for sedation and analgesia in horses, but the pharmacokinetics and metabolism of this drug have not been well described. Objective: To describe the pharmacokinetics of detomidine and its metabolites, 3-hydroxy-detomidine (OH-detomidine) and detomidine 3-carboxylic acid (COOH-detomidine), after i.v. and i.m. administration of a single dose to horses. Methods: Eight horses were used in a balanced crossover design study. In Phase 1, 4 horses received a single dose of i.v. detomidine, administered 30 microg/kg bwt and 4 a single dose i.m. 30 microg/kg bwt. In Phase...
Hannant D, Mumford JA.Cytotoxic cell precursors and/or cytotoxic memory cells were demonstrated in the peripheral blood of ponies after aerosol infection with influenza A/equine/Newmarket/79 (H3N8). In order to reveal their cytotoxic potential, peripheral blood mononuclear cells required a secondary antigenic stimulation. In vitro induced cytotoxic cells showed activity against influenza infected target cells in a 3-4 h 51Cr-release assay. The reactivity of cytotoxic cells was markedly influenced by the conditions of the secondary induction culture. If high concentrations of exogenous crude equine IL-2 were used, v...
Nixon AJ, Fortier LA, Goodrich LR, Ducharme NG.Debridement of osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) cartilage lesions results in fibrocartilage and imperfect hyaline repair tissue, and forms a permanent irregularity to the subchondral bone plate. Objective: To evaluate the clinical, radiographic and outcome effects of OCD cartilage flap reattachment for select lesions as an alternative to OCD debridement. Objective: Separated cartilage flaps resulting from OCD lesions may be re-incorporated into the hyaline cartilage surface by reattachment rather than debridement and removal. Methods: Resorbable polydioxanone pins were used to reattach OCD flap...
Stachurska A, Robovský J, Bocian K, Janczarek I.Changes in the coat cover are important for mammalian thermoregulation. This is especially true where variable environmental conditions exist throughout the seasons. Coat cover shedding is the replacement of old coat hair with new hair. The process differs in various equids. The aim of the study was to examine the changes in the coat of primitive Polish Konik horses living on a reserve in southeast Poland (50.6319° N). The reserve is located in a temperate climate. The mean temperature is below 0°C in winter (December 8 to March 9) and over 15°C in summer (June 8 to September 8). Five adult...
